How many only children are there in your DCs class?

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DD5 is an only child. For a while we were happy with one but for a year have been TTC#2 with no luck and I'm feeling extra rubbish about it tonight because her best friend at school (who was an only) has just told us she is to become a big sister. I feel so bad for DD.

Somehow it didn't seem so bad when her friend was in the same situation and I'm feeling terrible tonight. I'm 38 and wondering if it will ever happen.

I don't want DD to feel like the odd one out and I'm worried she already does. In her class there are 28 children, 8 are only children and 20 have siblings. What's the ratio at your school?

18 in DS’s class and 3 only children (I’m counting DS in those 3 as although he has a wonderful older half brother he’s in his mid twenties so is not the same as having another child at home).

DS is hugely sociable so I make sure we do something with other children every weekend and do everything I can to facilitate his friendships and social life. Holidays are usually with friends with similar aged children.

Op l have an only and was riddled with guilt for years. Until l realised it was me that wanted her to have a sibling (early menopause so a 2nd child didn't happen for us)- she didn't know any different.
Pros and cons but dd is happy being an only and we always have her friends here for tea or sleepovers. She rarely gets lonely.

I was also going to ask how people know! I have no idea which children have siblings. I don’t even know who’s in my kids’ class!

when they were in a smaller school I had more idea but still couldn’t have named everyone in the class or told you exactly how many were only children.

In my elder DC's (year 3) class, I don't think there's any, but in younger DC's (year 1), there's at least five (and similar in the other class), so it's definitely becoming more common.

Another consideration is the age gap; with a 6+ year gap, they're not going to play together nor really be peers in that they're into the same hobbies, TV etc... So will there be much benefit? With DD being an only, at least you can center her in what you do, and have more time/energy to foster relationships...

I'd say about a third of my son's class are only children (as far as I know). 8/24.

25 children in the class and 23 have siblings.

I'm an only child, raising another only child (who is now aged 16) My infertility caused me a lot of grief and guilt during my DS's younger years, but when I sat down to think about it, I realised I had a pretty happy childhood, probably a better one not having to share it with siblings. I grew up in a loving, close, almost friendship type relationship with my parents that continues to this day, and I am pleased that my son is now enjoying the same.

Ignore the rubbishy, negative only child threads on MN.

there is definitely 3 out of the 28 but there is two more whose mums/ dads I’ve never seen with another child so possibly 5.

No idea. Honestly, OP, what difference would it make to you? Good luck with conceiving, but you say yourself that over a third of your child’s class don’t have siblings, so how much more do you need for you to feel your daughter isn’t an outlier? I didn’t have a second child because I didn’t want one. I don’t care if other people are reproducing like rabbits.

OK, in a large town or city you obviously won't know everyone, but you'll still know plenty of people to see! As your child gets older you'll hear them chat about their friends and their friends families, the siblings will be there when you pick them up from birthday parties/playdates/trips to the park. Sometimes you just know!

As an only child myself, I am BEGGING people who aren't onlies to stop "worrying" about us and assuming how we feel. We are fine. Stop making it a big deal.

3 in a class of 18. Most 2 kids. One 3 kid family.

2 only children out of 30 in my twins class. Another is raised as an only child in that she has much older step siblings that don't live with her. Most have 1 sibling, others have 2. There are 2 children with 3 siblings, these are the largest families.

Going against the grain here. I reckon half of 28 (aged 9/10) that I know for definite - either know the family from nursery or playdates/parties since starting school. Low socio-economic area.

Oh gosh, I wouldn’t have a clue. One of my children has lots of friends who are the only child but I wouldn’t know how many in the class

Out of interest I just counted my son's class.
He has 1 x 5 children
3 x 4 children
5 x 3 children
17x 2 children
5 x 1 child

Sorry pressed post too soon! I meant to say it varies a lot in schools and doesn't mean much, I'm sorry you're finding it difficult ❤️

None in dc classes. Occasionally 3 siblings but 2 is the norm.

In DD’s class 5 out of 17 are only children. Seemed quite a high percentage to me.

Small class. 2 Onlys , 3 with siblings

10 out of a class of 20. It's a London prep school, and I guess many families wouldn't be able to afford the fees if they had a second dc. And DD is in Year 1, so some families might still have another with a 6+ year gap.

DD5 is an only of two onlies. Can you imagine the grandparent attention. 😂

In her class 6 out of 15 are only children.

One of her friends is one of 11 children and I think she likes visiting our house.

I’ve just counted 7 in DC1’s class of 29, but there are a couple of new children I don’t know about, and 8 in DC2’s class of 30. We’re in London where I suspect only children are more common due to older parents.

For those who are asking “how do you know?” - we’re in the playground most days for drop off or pick up, and I’m friendly with lots of the other parents, plus parties / play dates / bumping into people at the park etc. (very small catchment area) means I know most of the families in both classes well enough to know how many kids they have.

Out of a class of 30 in y1:
10 * 1 child (might change long term, a couple are single parents)
15 * 2 child
1 * 3 child
4 - not 100% sure, quite new to school; think 2 - 1 child, 1 - 2 childand 1 - 3 children.
I only know 4 families with 4 kids in the area, big families aren't common round here.

I'm a bit confused how people would not know this about most of a class. You talk with the families at the school gates, at parties, at school events, on play dates, when they stop by at Halloween, when your child or their child yells "Hi X" across the road at a passing family... it's a basic acquaintance question 3 after "Ever so wet again today isn't it?" and "How is X finding the new class / enjoying Y activity?".

DD is the only one in her class but I know a few others in others classes.